Iraq Insurgents Urged to Lay Down Arms

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq&cid=540&ncid=716

<snip>
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The commander of U.S.-led coalition forces urged Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists Friday to lay down arms and "embrace the future" in a sovereign Iraq (news - web sites), saying they will otherwise end up either dead or in custody.

· The U.S. military has reported considerable success in controlling the insurgency in central Iraq since Saddam's capture Dec. 13.

"We will be relentless in the pursuit of these targets," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said at a news conference.

But the violence continued as a roadside bomb blew up Friday in Baghdad, injuring two children. The explosion occurred after U.S. soldiers approached a suspicious device to inspect it, but no American casualties were reported.

[TheLastMohican]

1. How do you measure success?

The usual bodycount? Number of people detained? Number of civilians in custody?

Sounds like a call of desperation by Ricardo Sanches.

He has to pull out troops ya' know, and how can you pull out troops when there is a whole guerilla army (an estimated 50,000 resistance fighters) on your tail?

A message for the weak.

[NashVegas]

2. This Is Meaningless

The only people who can tell the Iraqis to lay down their arms and have any leverage are those who would lead Iraq and its people.

[HawkerHurricane]

3. And after that...

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez urged criminals in the United States to also 'lay down thier arms' and give themselves up.

He then requested that Osama Bin Laden and his al-Queda followers to 'lay down thier arms' and give themselves up.

There has been no response from any of the three groups.

[Frangible]

4. Later...

Saruman, a close aid of Bremer, added, "Embrace the power of the ring, or embrace your own destruction."

[daleo]

5. Things may get quiet if Iraqis think U.S. will really leave

Everyone may want to keep their powder dry for the post-U.S. jockeying (civil war?).